With the LA Clippers trying to hit their stride in their second-round NBA playoff series with the Utah Jazz, Kawhi Leonard appeared to be at the height of his powers with a massive dunk late in the first half.
Los Angeles entered Monday night’s Game 4 at Staples Center hoping to pull even with the Jazz and got off to a strong start, as the Clippers built their lead as high as 29 points.
Leonard took a pass from Patrick Beverley and drove the lane before putting Utah’s Derrick Favors on a poster, giving the Clippers a 62-38 lead with 1:24 to go before intermission.
KAWHI DROPS THE KLAW in #PhantomCam! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/I36Kjx9aOo
— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2021
With fans at Staples Center still limited, the most noteworthy reaction might have been on the faces of the stunned Jazz players. But the reverberations certainly were felt far and wide.
Donovan Mitchell’s face ?
(via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/0bZ7u0RAdd
— ESPN (@espn) June 15, 2021
Jazz players’ reaction to Kawhi’s dunk on Favors ?
?: @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/vB0f3qXX6j
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 15, 2021
Kawhi ain’t just dunk him like that ?
— Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges) June 15, 2021
“Oh my God.”
Joel Embiid’s reaction to Kawhi’s dunk pic.twitter.com/dDBCDKF3Er— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 15, 2021
Sheesh that dunk! that man Kawhi did him no Favors pic.twitter.com/tgySMDfjuU
— cameron jordan (@camjordan94) June 15, 2021
??? #klaw
— Allen Robinson II (@AllenRobinson) June 15, 2021
The Clippers prevailed 118-104 to knot the Western Conference semifinals 2-2.